Unbreak Me Here
by Marysia
Summary: Yugi and Bakura are left alone and confused after the departure of their darker halves. Yugi/Bakura. Set after a possible ending to the series.
1. It Starts

Note: I am not responsible for any mental damage caused by reading this fic. It takes place after how I think the series might end – with all the Millennium Items and their resident spirits being destroyed or at least sealed. Basically, Bakura and Yugi are free of their Yamis. In this story, Bakura is just 'Bakura'. Yami Bakura isn't in it at all, so there shouldn't be any confusion there. There may be possible spoilers – I've seen through episode 102 of the anime and read later manga scanlations, and I tend to forget what I read there and what I didn't. Consider yourself warned.

~

_Yugi lay in a mist-covered field of lilies._

The sky, gray and cloud-covered, hovered an indefinable distance above him.  The lilies, flowers still encased in bulging buds, were covered in dew. The moisture soaked through his star-covered pajamas and caused him to shiver with the dampness and cold..

Why am I wearing pajamas in a field?_ Yugi wondered. He wasn't exactly sure what he was doing there, or how he had gotten there. He couldn't remember anything._

_As he got to his feet, the flowers began to uncurl and bloom, exposing their unblemished, pearl-white petals. He bent to examine one, deeply inhaling its scent._

_  
He was barefoot, he realized as he stood again._

_As Yugi glanced around, trying to see where he was, he saw a shape moving in his peripheral vision. He whipped his head around, and his heart leaped when he realized the shadow belonged to whom he had hoped._

_"Anzu!" he cried, running towards the figure. She, too, turned towards him. Beaming, her face bright and happy, she opened her arms to receive him. Squeaking in happiness, he collapsed against her chest. She smiled lovingly down at Yugi. "I missed you," she cooed, stroking his back._

_Anzu pulled away to grin up at him, but her smile rapidly dissolved. Her eyebrows creased and her lips began forming a frown. She placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him away, her visage twisting into a snarl. "You're not him!" she snapped. Her face continued to contort. "What happened? Where did all your strength go? You're just weak little Yugi!"_

_Her words sliced into him like a knife. He just gaped, unsure of what to think or say._

_The lilies wilted and died as her last word echoed around the landscape again and again._

_"Yugi! ..Yugi! ..**Yugi**!"_

_The feminine voice suddenly transformed into that of a strong, confident male. The landscape, and Anzu, crumbled into ashes and disappeared, and Yugi felt himself falling, falling, into a consuming void._

_He hit the floor, somewhere, though he couldn't see anything. He was only aware of blackness._

_"Yugi." The voice was comforting, now, and as Yugi groped around in the darkness, a familiar face appeared before him, illuminated by a strange glow._

_"O..Other me!" Yugi cried. "What are you doing here?"_

_The other figure advanced further, bending to place a hand on Yugi's shoulder. The boy could now see him fully: his familiar hair was enrobed by a crown adorned with the Millennium Eye. He was clothed with a simple kilt, the royal clothing of an Egyptian pharaoh._

_Yugi whimpered and placed his head against the other's chest for comfort. "I...I missed you so much...I don't know...how I'm going to make it," he gasped. "I feel...so alone..."_

_"Yugi..." The pharaoh sounded deeply saddened. "Yugi, I wish I could stay with you, but I cannot. I must not visit you like this for much longer. This is where our paths must split."_

_"But..."_

_"You are strong, Yugi." The pharaoh smiled at him. _

_"But even Anzu doesn't care about me, now that you're gone." There was more than a trace of bitterness in Yugi's voice. "Now that I'm just weak little Yugi again."_

_"You have the strength within you, Yugi. It's just a matter of realizing your potential."_

_"What are you talking about? Please...stay with me...No..."_

_As Yugi spoke, he could feel the pharaoh shrinking from him, the solid flesh melting away. In only a few moments, he was again alone in the darkness._

_"Goodbye, Yugi..."_

_"Noooo!" His voice broke as he reached around blindly._

Yugi sat up in bed, his eyes wide and panicked. He gazed around for a few moments, disoriented. His hand reflexively flew to his chest, yet he did not find the reassurance he sought.

The Millennium Puzzle was gone. As he knew it would be, yet its absence still tore at him. He had taken comfort in that piece of metal so many times...had traced his hands over the cold metal, delighted in its smooth surfaces and hairline cracks. 

He still wore the chain that he had kept the Puzzle on, when nobody else was around. Yet there was no salvation attached to it, now. 

"I just wanted...a friend..." A tear slipped from his eye as he fingered the empty chain. "I know, I found Jounouchi and Honda and Bakura, but...my real best friend was you..."

There was no response from the depths of his mind.

Nothing. Cold emptiness.

A footstep outside Yugi's room caused him to panic. He rolled against the wall, pulling his covers over his head. The door opened a crack, then closed again. Yugi sighed in relief. He didn't want anyone to hear him talking to himself. 

It would bring too many questions. 

Yugi was often awakened by dreams these nights. He usually had a lot of trouble falling asleep, especially after he awoke during the night.

As he lay in his bed, cocooned in covers, he felt the urge to be comforted by the familiar sight of his deck... his Black Magician, especially. His favorite card...

Yugi made sure that whoever had been in the hallway was gone, and then rolled out of bed and padded across the room. He walked to his desk and turned on the lamp – his cute clock with a smiling face said it was 2:23 in the morning. He'd be tired tomorrow. 

Yugi lifted his deck off its position in the center of his desk, in the midst of scattered homework papers. His grades had actually improved since the Pharaoh had left, since he focused on work to distract his mind. Before, he'd preferred playing Duel Monsters.

He shuffled through the cards, finding his favorite and pulling it out, tilting it so the light reflected off the embedded foil. Rainbows bounced against his tired eyes.

"Black Magician..." Yugi murmured. "You got me through so many duels...you, and the help of the other me...But was it even me that you cared about? Me that you fought for? Or was it...him?" 

The ghost of a tear slid down Yugi's face. "I...miss you..."

He was talking to the air, though he wanted to reach his other half. He didn't know if the dream had actually been a message from him, or just Yugi's fevered mind trying to fulfill its desires. He did want to talk to his other half again, but ever since the final Sealing, it seemed like there would never again be a chance to do so.

The Black Magician remained in his fixed pose on the card, a confident smirk on his face as he raised his staff.

"I wish I could be like you..." Yugi whispered. At this point, he wasn't sure if he was talking to the Black Magician or his other half. He didn't really care.

Another sound outside his door caused Yugi to quickly switch off the light and scramble back into bed. He didn't want to be caught awake – it would undoubtedly lead to lectures about how he needed sleep for his health. Which was probably true, but his body simply did not want to oblige. Yugi didn't want to tell anyone how he felt, because he knew that would lead to so many questions...if he tried to explain the entire story, they'd probably think he was crazy. People had acted alarmed enough if he slipped and mentioned "the other me", or was caught talking to himself.

He turned over and tried to sleep. Gradually, his body's objections dissolved, and he slipped into a dreamless slumber.

~ 

On the other side of Domino Town, another boy was lying sleepless in his bed. 

Ryou Bakura. Another one of the fated few chosen to possess Millennium Items. However, destiny had not been as kind to him as it had been to Yugi. His spirit had not been benevolent; the Bakura of the past had been evil and abusive. Although he had disappeared along with the Millennium Ring, Bakura now felt strangely empty and alone. He was radically different from his darkness; he was kind and caring, or at least that was what people told him. The people who weren't afraid of him, that is. The people who hadn't died at his hands. His bloody hands...

The silver-haired boy turned over and pulled a crumpled photograph out from under his pillow. Though it was too dark to make out the details of the picture, he had long ago memorized every detail of the faded image. It had been taken on one of the family trips to Egypt, to visit Bakura's father on one of his archeological digs. A younger, much happier version of himself was standing next to a younger girl, whose hair was considerably darker and tamer. Bakura's hair was still white and fluffy, and his brown eyes were perhaps even bigger. They were both grinning and holding their hands in v-signs.

"Amane...Imouto-chan..." he murmured, a burning sensation stinging his nose as he tried not to succumb to the growing urge to cry. 

His sister's death had been the point where Bakura's life had really started go downhill. He couldn't remember anything from that time very well. Everyone said that she had died in a car accident, but he worried that wasn't true. He hadn't been in the car when it happened. He feared that he had been lied to, and that _he_ had somehow been responsible for her death. His memory was so blank...He had loved her...it would be fitting that he would have somehow killed her, he thought. It would have been a fitting prediction of what was to come.

He had gotten his Millennium Ring right after that, he thought. His father had given it to him. Bakura didn't see his father very much, and it had been a treasure. A memento from one of his digs in Egypt.

Yet it had started to consume him and tear his life apart. He began to be alienated from everyone he was remotely close to, for if he ever invited them to his apartment, the Ring turned him over, and...

He had even transferred to Domino High School because it had grown to be such a problem. Yet, he had still not realized the full potential of the Ring's dark powers until then, until he had transferred to and met Yugi...

Yugi...

Bakura wondered vaguely how Yugi was coping with the loss of his other half. _He's probably taking it harder than I am_, the silver-haired boy reflected. _The other Yugi was a friend to him, a companion...My other half, what was he? He just wanted to destroy everyone..._

He wanted to finish the thought with "even me", but it didn't come. Yugi had said that Bakura's darkness had tried to protect him during their duel, though Bakura had no memory of the incident. If he tried to think about it, he could remember nothing except blackness, and a few confused moments of intense pain and the swirling faces of Yugi and his companions.

_He...hurt people...He probably killed people... _Bakura stared at his hands. He could only make out the barest outlines of his pale fingers in the darkness, yet the blood staining them stood out bright in his imagination.

_It won't go away...no matter how much I wash my hands it won't go away..._

Bakura balled his fists, his stomach twisting in a familiar knot of guilt.

_I couldn't help it...or could I? Was I aware of what was happening? I don't even remember anything...._

He turned over again and stared at his clock. 2:23 AM. He had school tomorrow. He would stagger through it, struggling to stay awake, and then he would return home and fall asleep on his desk while trying to finish his homework. This had been happening nearly every day since his other had been defeated.

I wasn't good enough to go with Yugi and the others into his heart, to seek the Pharaoh's memories...I wasn't good enough. Even separate from him, I wasn't good enough...

The burning in Bakura's nose grew stronger, until he was unable to suppress a small tear from edging out of the corner of his eye.

I tried, but it wasn't enough...I tried...

Still in the darkness, Bakura traced a fresh scar on his upper arm, causing a fresh surge of pain. He had inflicted it himself, after his Darkness had left....there had been a wound there, which he hadn't remembered getting. He got the feeling that his other half had inflicted it himself for one reason or another.

It had begun to heal. Bakura hadn't wanted that.

So he reopened it, one night in the shower. A slash of the razor, to atone for his sins. Penance through the blood and pain. And a way to remember the presence of his darkness...the pain reminded him of the other half he was now missing. Missing....despite everything he'd done...

He didn't want the wound to heal. He wanted it to remain there as a fresh sign of the fact that he was never good enough for Yugi, for any of them. It was the symbol of his darkness, and it would stay.

But right now, it hurt. Ached. Throbbed. His spirit, as well, hurt; with the absence of his Darkness, he felt much more empty and alone than he should have felt. Than he was obligated to feel. Allowed to feel.

Sighing, Bakura rose from his bed and stood. The soft carpet tickled the bottoms of his feet, pressed between his toes. It was a small comfort, yet one he didn't deserve...

He deserved a mat of nails. Or coals. Scalding coals that would sear the bottoms of his feet as he tried to cross them. Maybe then he would be worthy....if he burned away the sins....

Several times a night, Bakura followed the path that his feet traced. He walked from the bed to the door, and opened it carefully and slowly, fearing that he would awaken his mother. He didn't want her to know that he was still awake. He didn't want her to know about his recent insomnia, for fear that it would cause her to take him to a doctor. Which was the last place he wanted to go, especially if the doctor tried to send him to a psychologist. After all that he'd been through with his Darkness, the thought of seeing a psychologist terrified him. He would probably be diagnosed with some severe disorder and forced to take drugs. He didn't want to become someone else...he also didn't want to have to talk to a stranger about his personal problems. Yet, still, there were times when the idea of talking to _someone_ was admittedly appealing.

He exited his room and crawled, carefully, down the hall. In the recent weeks, he had learned that if he crawled, the floorboards were less likely to creak.

Finally, Bakura reached the bathroom at the end of the hallway. He pushed the door open – it was still open a crack from his earlier visit, so he didn't have to actually turn the handle and open it. Which was good, because the squeak of the turning doorknob might draw attention to him.

Bakura's hands moved from the warm carpet of the hallway to the cold, unforgiving bathroom tile. He crawled in, pulled the door closed, and turned on the light. Then, almost reluctantly, he dragged himself to his feet and faced the mirror.

His face looked haggard and worn. Although he had by no means calm while possessing the Millennium Ring, his current appearance was even more tortured. His large, brown eyes were shot through with red, and dark circles marked his pale skin. He seemed even more delicate than usual, and his veins stood out against his skin. Blue lines...they appeared so fragile, yet they contained his lifeblood. If they were severed, he would die.

Sighing, Bakura splashed some water on his face and cupped his hands beneath the faucet, allowing himself a refreshing drink. He then trudged back to bed, trying to be as quiet as possible. Upon arriving, he settled back into his bed for another several hours of tossing and turning. He hoped for a few minutes of blessed sleep before being roughly awakened for school.

~

The next day, Yugi shuffled absently through his deck after class, trying to organize his thoughts enough to head home. He was tired – exhausted – due to his attack of insomnia the previous night. The fluorescent lights of the classroom burned into his eyes as he stared at the cards, though he had long since memorized their text. He still enjoyed Duel Monsters, along with all other games, but he couldn't help feeling like Duel Monsters was a part of the past. A facet of his personality that his other half had dominated...

Yugi realized, as he glanced around the room, that he – or, rather, his other half – had been the glue holding together his group of friends. Anzu, Honda, Jounouchi....Although his dream the previous night had frightened him, and he didn't like to think about it, he knew that its implications were very real. Anzu _was _losing interest in him now that the Pharaoh was gone. And with her diminishing interest in him, she spent less and less time playing Duel Monsters. He had a strong feeling that she had just interested herself in the game because it was something _he _enjoyed, and that playing Duel Monsters was a way for her to get closer to him. Jounouchi still played, but his interest was waning after he had, in his mind, achieved his goal of becoming a true duelist during Battle City. Honda had never really played, and just supported Yugi and (especially) Jounouchi; both boys had, upon return from Battle City, become increasingly interested in dating and girls and less interested in games.

Yugi sighed. They had pledged to be together forever, but it seemed that 'forever' was a much shorter time than any of them had thought. It seemed just like yesterday (really, it was only a couple of months – though so much had happened) that the four of them had stood outside Kaiba's duel arena while Anzu drew the friendship symbol on their hands. Their friendship had gotten him through many trials, and while Yugi knew Jounouchi and the others still cared about him, their common interests seemed to be diminishing. Games were Yugi's primary focus in life – his grandfather had even _named _him after gaming. Yet the others were far less interested.

He also suspected his companions were unsure of how to deal with him after the Pharaoh had left. None of them had really understood the relationship that Yugi and his other half shared, but they could all tell that his loss had affected Yugi greatly. But none of them could understand, so they shrank from Yugi and his problems, not wanting to admit they had nothing to say. 

Nobody could understand...except...

Yugi glanced to the side, noticing Bakura. The boy was resting his head on his arm, appearing to be asleep on his desk. Yugi wasn't sure if he was feigning sleep to avoid attention, or if he had actually drifted off. Yugi stood, curious, wondering if Bakura had any plans for the evening. Although Bakura had always been kind to Yugi, he had never really been one of Yugi's closest friends. Reflecting on this, Yugi realized that Bakura's dark half had really been the reason – any opportunities for them to develop their relationship had been cut short by the rivalry of the ancient Pharaoh and tomb robber. Yet, now, that the spirits were gone.... perhaps Bakura was feeling as empty as he was. Approaching Bakura was worth a try, anyway; Yugi hated seeing anyone upset, especially someone he considered a friend, and he considered it his duty to try to help Bakura.

He walked over to Bakura's desk, slowly. He didn't want to wake the boy if he was asleep, but he hoped Bakura would acknowledge his presence if he was awake.

"Oi, Bakura-kun," Yugi said softly. 

Bakura snapped his head up, a terrified look in his eyes for a moment. When he saw that Yugi was the one addressing him, his face relaxed somewhat, and his typical grin appeared on his face. "Yugi-kun! How are you?" 

"Fine," Yugi mumbled evasively. He was not fine, and he suspected Bakura wasn't either.

"Great! Me too," Bakura responded, still pasting a grin on his face.

"Bakura-kun..." Yugi lowered his voice and bent to even his face with that of the slouching Bakura. "I know you're probably going through a lot right now. If you need to talk to someone, please, feel free to talk to me. It's Friday, I don't have any plans for tonight, and for once we don't have that much homework... Do you want to come and play Duel Monsters with me at Kaiba Land or something?"

Bakura's face clouded for a moment, then returned to its former brightness. "I don't know if I can...But, I don't see why not!" he added, confusing Yugi by his apparently contradictory responses. "Do we...do we have to play Duel Monsters, though? I'm no match for you, really. And thinking of Duel Monsters reminds me of..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish. He didn't need to: Yugi knew what he was going to say. The only two times he had seen Bakura duel...well, hadn't really been Bakura playing.  It had been his other half. Bakura had only regained control at a few points during those duels, yet the duels seemed to have been taxing and painful for Bakura.

In the first duel, Bakura had had to struggle with his other half to protect Yugi and his friends. The second duel...Bakura had been hurt, lost, and confused; at that point, his body and mind were merely pawns in the battle against the Pharaoh.

Yugi knew Bakura was recovering, but he also knew the process wouldn't be easy for him. Playing Duel Monsters was like reliving the memories all over again. Especially playing with his Occult deck, which his darkness had nearly defeated Yugi with...

Neither of them really wanted to think about that.

"Okay, we don't have to play Duel Monsters if you don't want to," Yugi replied with a smile. He wondered why both he and Bakura were making so much of an effort to appear happy, since neither of them were and both knew it. "I love all games. Are there any that you really want to play?"

Bakura looked down. "The only one that I'm really good at is Monster World, and..." He trailed off again. Yugi sighed, realizing that the only possible good memories Bakura could have associated with gaming had become tainted by the actions of his darker half.

"We don't have to play anything if you don't want to," Yugi urged. He was getting a bit frustrated – it seemed that there was _nothing _Bakura could do without evoking painful memories. "We can just go out and get something to eat or drink, and then explore, see what happens..."

Bakura blushed slightly. "I'd love to, but...I don't have any m— "

"Don't worry," Yugi said brightly. "I brought my wallet. I'll pay."

"Just like a date, huh?" Bakura giggled. 

Yugi just stared. "Err..I d-didn't say that..." he stammered, trying to find words. He had never considered the possibility of a romantic interest in Bakura, and though he thought – _thought _– Bakura was just joking, he couldn't be certain.

Bakura blushed deeper. "Sorry," he muttered. "Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. Let's get something to eat first, okay? But after that, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to stop at home. I want to drop off my stuff. You can, too," he added, nodding at Bakura's stuffed backpack.

"O-Okay," Bakura replied, nodding. "But why do you want to spend time with me? Why not Jounouchi, or Honda-kun? Or Anzu?"

"I just don't, okay?" Yugi didn't feel like talking about this with Bakura. At least not now. Maybe after they'd discussed other issues first...but not yet. Yugi didn't feel comfortable telling other people his problems – he had just confided in his other half for so long that he had forgotten how to talk to others.

"Sorry...Where do you want to go?" Bakura repeated. 

Yugi wasn't sure why Bakura was pressing the issue, but he decided to humor him. "Well, I heard there's a new burger place that opened near the park downtown..." he said, trailing off. 

Bakura laughed. "Never could resist burgers, could you? Sure, that sounds fine. I'll pay you back tomorrow, I promise..."

"Don't worry about it," Yugi replied, smiling. "It's not a problem."

~

"_Yugi!" _Bakura cried, staring at the tray as Yugi carried their food to the table where he was waiting. "A double burger, fries, AND a milkshake? There's no way you can finish all that!"

"You must not have seen me eat, then," Yugi laughed.

"Where do you _put _it all?" Bakura teased, smiling. Yugi smiled back – it seemed like efforts to cheer Bakura up were working, at least marginally. He could tell that this smile was genuine.

"Just because I'm short doesn't mean I don't eat! Besides, I'm still growing. At least that's what Grandpa says....though I don't know, considering he's the same height as me. Oh well. Let's eat!" Yugi took a large bite from his burger. 

Bakura smiled slightly at Yugi's vigor, but only picked at a sesame seed on his own burger's bun. Yugi swallowed, feeling a bit awkward. "Aren't you hungry, Bakura-kun?"

"Oh! Oh...yes," Bakura stammered, acting like he had forgotten about his burger. In reality, he liked just watching Yugi; he hadn't wanted to be distracted by eating. Yet, not wanting to disappoint Yugi (especially since he had been kind enough to pay for the entire meal), Bakura began to eat his burger as well. He savored each bite, instead of wolfing it down like the smaller boy. He was more delicate than Yugi, he noticed. 

They ate quietly. Yugi was true to his word, and not only finished all of his food, but also ate some of Bakura's fries. Although Bakura was taller, his appetite was nowhere near Yugi. 

After they finished, Yugi detected a barely perceptible sigh from Bakura. He knew the boy wasn't happy; he had hoped that they would have a chance to talk. He thought that Bakura might be able to manage his problems better if he spoke about them.

"So..." Yugi and Bakura left the restaurant, and Yugi glanced up and down the busy street, trying to find their next destination. "Is there anywhere in particular you want to go?" Yugi had originally planned to take Bakura to his grandfather's shop after they ate, but he decided that he would accompany Bakura wherever he wanted to go.

"No..." Bakura seemed a bit distant, as if he was withdrawn into himself rather than really listening to what Yugi was saying. "Wherever you want..."

"We can go to Grandpa's shop....I want to drop off my stuff anyway, and we can find some game to play...I'm sure there's _something _there you'd enjoy. Besides," he said, gesturing towards Bakura's backpack, "I would've stopped there before, but the burger place was a lot closer."

Bakura forced a smile onto his face again. "Sure..."

Yugi sighed quietly. He wanted to get Bakura to open up, but it didn't seem like an easy prospect.

"That way..." Yugi said, gesturing behind him. Bakura nodded, and turned to follow Yugi. 

The boys walked most of the distance in silence. Bakura seemed even more introverted than usual. Yugi occasionally pointed something out to Bakura – a poster advertising the latest Duel Monsters expansion, or new Monster World campaigns – but the boy always seemed so startled whenever he was addressed that Yugi began to feel uncomfortable doing so. 

"There you are, Yugi!" his grandfather said as they entered. He sounded a bit worried. "And- Oh, hi, Bakura." His tone shifted noticeably as he addressed the silver-haired boy, and, guiltily, Bakura realized he was probably recalling an incident with his dark half.

"Mr. Mutou, I...I'm sorry, if..he..did something, it wasn't me, and I'm sorry," he stammered. "I d-don't know what he did to you, but- " Bakura stammered hopelessly. 

A smile slowly crept onto the older man's face. "Don't worry, I know they got rid of him. Forgive me for being rude." He turned to address Yugi. "Where's Anzu?"

"Anzu? Oh...she's always busy after school..." Yugi turned to Bakura. "Come upstairs to my room, I'll show you the puzzle I've been working on." Bakura paled slightly at the word, but Yugi chuckled. "No...not that puzzle...just a normal jigsaw puzzle." He gestured towards the stairs.

"Make sure you do your homework!" Sugoroku called after the boys as they climbed to the second floor.

"Aah, so this is your room?" spoke Bakura, gazing around the simple, yet comfortable-looking, chamber. A yellow-quilted bed stood at one end of the room, with an abstract painting of geometric shapes adorning the wall above it. Yugi also had a blue-doored closet and desk, scattered with various textbooks and Duel Monsters cards. The whole room was filled with bright colors. Bakura also noticed a picture of Yugi and his friends above the desk – Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda. Just like always... 

"Yup," Yugi said, leaping onto the bed and bouncing once before falling backwards to gaze at the ceiling. 

Bakura walked over to the desk and curiously lifted a few of the cards. "I haven't seen these before..." he murmured. As he reached for another card, he noticed a chain lying on the desk – the same chain that had once held Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. He lifted it curiously, turning to face Yugi. "Isn't this..."

Yugi sat up with a jolt, realizing what Bakura was holding. "Don't touch-" he began, but Bakura's eyes widened and he immediately dropped the chain, slapping one hand with the other. Yugi frowned. "Sorry...I didn't mean to talk like that to you. I just...am sensitive about that. Yes, the Puzzle used to be on it." He looked down. "I still wear it a lot. Just not to school, because I don't want people to ask about where the Puzzle went. I figure that if I don't wear it at all, people will figure I just got tired of it after awhile. It just looked like a piece of jewelry to most people, you know."

Bakura sighed and nodded. "Yes...just like my Millennium Ring."

Yugi ran his hand over the blanket, smoothing it. He remembered his dream the previous night...and how he had been kept awake afterwards. Suddenly, sitting on the soft quilt, he felt unbearably tired. He tried to suppress a yawn, but Bakura noticed.

"Are you tired? Maybe I should leave, and you can get some rest..."

"No, I'm fine," Yugi replied. "Sit down, make yourself comfortable. Of course, we could go out again if you'd rather..."

"No, no, this is fine." Bakura sat down at Yugi's desk chair, still not looking at him straight.

"You can come sit next to me..." Yugi could sense Bakura's discomfort, and wanted to try to reassure him. To his surprise, Bakura blushed deeply, but he murmured "O..okay..." and hesitantly moved to join Yugi. However, he sat about as far away from Yugi on the bed as he could, and still seemed unprepared to look the spiky-haired boy in the eye. 

Yugi realized that the conversation he had hoped to have was not going to get anywhere unless he initiated something himself. He finally decided not to beat around the bush, and just ask Bakura directly what he was wondering.

"Bakura," he questioned, "how do you feel now that the Ring is gone?"

Bakura instantly swiveled to look at Yugi, his large eyes swelling with pain. With just those few words, Bakura's expression had changed from blushing to pained. Yet, from the look in his eyes, Yugi knew that he did want to speak.

"I....I don't know."

"Bakura, you can tell me anything," Yugi urged. He had to admit that he was encouraging the boy partially for his own benefit – he wanted to be able to talk about how he felt, as well. That was one of the reasons he had invited Bakura over at all. He had wanted a conversation about this issue.

Bakura just looked down. His face flushed again, but Yugi could tell from his vacant expression that he was ashamed, and debating whether or not to tell Yugi what he was thinking.

"I..." he began, then cut himself off. "I...Why is this so hard?" He banged his fists against the blanket in frustration. "I..." His large, luminous eyes began to fill with tears. "I...miss him...sometimes." He turned toward Yugi, but stared at the floor, burning with shame. "I know he and...the Pharaoh...were enemies for thousands of years. So you'll probably hate me for telling you that..."

"No, Bakura, it's okay..." Yugi was torn – he wanted to comfort the boy, but wasn't sure how to do so. "I miss the other me, too...I can understand how you feel."

Bakura still couldn't look at Yugi. A tear slid down his still-flushed cheek. "But...But the other me was...different. I...we didn't talk much. I wasn't even sure what he was. When he took over – at least, I guess that's what happened, from what people told me – I couldn't remember what happened, at all...My memory has such huge gaps...We talked occasionally. He was...he seemed to want to use my body for his own ends. Yet...at the same time, he understood me on a level nobody else has."

Yugi just nodded. He could tell it was good for Bakura to release his pent-up feelings. 

"In the beginning, he stopped me from getting close to anyone. He'd turn people into Monster World pieces if they came over to my apartment..." He sniffed. "They're back to normal now that he's gone, I think, but I had to transfer schools because of it. Everyone was scared of me." At this, he turned and stared straight at Yugi. The anguished look in his eyes caused Yugi's stomach to lurch with concern, yet he still wasn't sure what to do.

"They were afraid of me, Yugi! _Me! _I'm about the weakest guy you'll ever meet. They were afraid of me..."

He looked down again, closing his eyes. "It hurt...But...But...Maybe some part of me...felt stronger? I don't know, but...we didn't get along all that well when we did talk. He called me stupid, naive...he always seemed deeply pained by something, though. Something horrible must have happened to him back in Egypt...He called me his host, but...that made me feel important. I...mattered to him, he needed me...He...said it was his duty to protect me, once." 

He turned to look at Yugi again, his eyes burning with pain, narrowed in an attempt to stop the tears. "He was never like your Pharaoh, but...I...miss him."

Yugi nodded. "I understand how you feel, Bakura. You don't need to feel bad. Half of your heart has suddenly, literally, disappeared..." Bakura's eyes grew wide, and he regarded Yugi with surprise. He still expected Yugi to yell at him.

"I miss the other me..." murmured Yugi. "I miss him a lot. I feel so lonely a lot of the time... and Anzu really only cared about him, it turns out...why am I not surprised? I'm so weak, and pathetic, and I look like I'm eight years old! No wonder nobody cares about me!"

"That's not true, Yugi..." Bakura's voice nearly disappeared, and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to halt a new barrage of tears. "I...I care..." he whispered.

Yugi blinked. "Even after everything I _haven't _done for you? I'm really sorry, Bakura. I always ignored you, for Honda, Jounouchi, and Anzu...I knew them for longer, yes, but I should've realized that there are always opportunities to make new friends... That sometimes are even more loyal than the old," he added bitterly.

Bakura sniffled quietly, his cheeks still wet and eyes still red from tears. 

"It's okay, Bakura." Yugi smiled, then reached a hand out to place on Bakura's arm, hoping the physical touch would help comfort him. However, Bakura's result was unexpected.

His eyes flew open suddenly. "AAAAH! Aa-itai..." He jerked away from Yugi and clapped his own hand over the spot, his eyes squinting shut to try to block the apparent pain.

"Bakura? Are you alright?" Yugi's concern was evident in his voice.

"Y-yes, Yugi, I'm fine..."

"I don't believe you," Yugi said firmly. He reached towards Bakura and, despite the other boy's protests, removed his hand from the spot he had been clasping. He attempted to roll up Bakura's sleeve, but the blue material bunched impossibly at the elbow.

"Take your jacket off," Yugi commanded.

"N-no, Yugi, I'm just fine. Please..."

"Take it off!" Yugi's voice grew sharp, though mostly out of concern. "I need to look at your arm..."

"But..." Bakura tried to turn away, his eyes shut tight. "No, I can't..."

Yugi lunged towards him. "Am I going to have to _make _you take it off?"

Bakura squeaked and pulled further away. "Fine..." he sighed. "Please don't yell at me..."

He shrugged out of the outer uniform jacket. Underneath it, he wore a simple pale blue short-sleeved shirt. Yugi gasped when Bakura's left arm was exposed, however. There was a deep gash there, unbandaged and uncovered. Dried blood was caked around the outside of the injury.

"Bakura! What happened to you?!"

"N-Nothing..."

"This isn't nothing! What happened? Did someone hurt you?"

"Nobody important."

"Nobody important!? Tell me! I'll take down whoever did that to you! Nobody gets away with hurting my friends!"

Bakura sighed. "I said, nobody important."

"Tell me! I'll duel him! If he won't duel, I'll fight him!"

"Please don't," Bakura said. He sighed and looked away.

"Bakura, please! Why won't you tell me who did this to you? Did he say he'd hurt you if you told anyone?"

Bakura's eyes narrowed suddenly. "He might as well have," he said, getting up off the bed. He rummaged in his uniform pants pocket, then produced a folded pocketknife. "Happy? This is who did it to me."

Yugi joined Bakura, took the knife, and examined it. "It says your name on the handle...This is _yours_? You mean _you _did that to yourself!? WHY?"

"The other me did it first," Bakura responded, looking away. "I don't want it to heal. I want it to remain, as a symbol of him. Because I don't have anything else to remember him by." Bakura took the knife again and placed it back in his pocket.

"If you were caught with that at school, you'd be expelled! Especially after all the rumors about you killing people late at night on the streets of Domino."

"You have the other me to thank for that," Bakura said coldly. "He's a murderer...and...I miss him."

Bakura sank to the ground, again assaulted by tears. "I miss him..."

Yugi knelt beside him, gripping his other shoulder. "Look, Bakura, it's alright...You just need someone who cares about you." Yugi stared, unwavering, into Bakura's shining brown eyes. "Promise me that you'll never hurt yourself like that again."

Bakura closed his eyes. "I can't..."

"Promise me!" Yugi yelled. "I can't stand seeing you hurt, and knowing that you did it to yourself makes it ten times worse! Promise!"

Bakura's eyes flew open, and he just blinked. A slight blush appeared on his face again. "O-okay..." he murmured, shutting them again. "I promise. I just hope I can keep it..."

"We don't have school tomorrow...How about you call home and ask if you can stay here tonight? I'll go ask Grandpa. I'm sure it will be alright with him."

Bakura just looked to the side. "There's nobody to call...my parents aren't home...I'll leave a message, though, just in case they get home and are worried..."

"Come on downstairs with me. I'll ask Grandpa, and you can use the shop phone." Yugi patted Bakura's shoulder reassuringly, smiling. He stood and grabbed a tissue from the box on his desk, handing it to Bakura.

"Th-Thanks," Bakura murmured, standing and pulling his jacket back on. He winced slightly as the fabric brushed the only partially healed slash on his arm.

"Grandpa," Yugi called as they made their way down the stairs. "Can Bakura sleep over tonight? We don't have school tomorrow, and he brought his backpack with him."

"I don't see why not, as long as his parents say it's okay."

"I-I'll call..." stammered Bakura, still a bit confused and distraught. He dialed the number mechanically, and suffered through the ever-familiar voice recording. He heard it whenever he called home, and he hated its fake cheerfulness. His message was short and abrupt.

"It's Ryou. I'm staying at Yugi's tonight. Call if you have any questions." He hung up and turned to Yugi, a broad smile pasted on his face. "So, what was that game you were telling me about?"

Yugi blinked. "Er...I'll go show you," he said hurriedly, and turned towards the stairs again.

"I don't have a change of clothes or anything..." Bakura murmured as the boys entered Yugi's bedroom again.

"That's okay! I'm sure I have something you can borrow. That is, if you can fit into it," he added with a nervous chuckle. "I'm so short..." Yugi walked over to his closet and threw it open. He laughed quietly and pulled out an oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. "Some aunt of mine sent me these for my birthday one year. I'd never even met her before, and, well...she didn't know how short I was. I couldn't return these, because I didn't know where she got them...I bet they'll fit you, though. They're comfortable, here." Yugi tossed the clothes to Bakura.

"I hate to be rude, but..." Bakura looked down. "Do you think I could take a shower before changing? I feel...dirty."

"Sure, Bakura," Yugi said, smiling. "Whatever makes you feel better."


	2. Shower and Games

"Sure, Bakura-kun," Yugi said, smiling. "Whatever makes you feel better."

"I..." Bakura stared at the floor, blushing. "Do you think... you could come in with me? Not into the actual shower, of course, just the bathroom," he added quickly, with a nervous smile. "I just... I'd feel better if you were there with me. I don't...don't want to be alone..."

Yugi nodded, genuinely concerned for the other boy. "I'd be glad to, if that would make you feel better." He picked up the baggy sweats from the bed and led Bakura down the hallway, gesturing to a door on the left. "Here we go."

Yugi's bathroom was bright and cheerful. The floor and shower were covered in white tiles, with splashes of red, yellow and blue here and there. Bakura remembered staring into his own mirror the night before, his eyes bloodshot, his face worn and haggard. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind, immersing himself in the present.

The spiky-haired boy coughed softly. "Er... do you want me to be in here while you undress, too?" he asked, feeling more than a bit awkward. 

Bakura giggled softly, blushing. "N-not unless you want to be."

Yugi just stared, taken aback. "I..I think I'd better go," he mumbled. "There's an extra washcloth on the towel rack above the sink," he added, and hurriedly left, closing the door behind him. He sank to the floor, staring blankly at the door, his eyes not focusing on anything. His head spun strangely.

_I almost wanted to stay.... Why? It's not like I... No. No way. That would just ruin everything...What am I _thinking_?!_

"Yugi, you can come in now!" He heard Bakura's muffled voice from the other side of the door, and, forcing himself to collect his thoughts, opened the door. He expected to find the bathroom already partly heated by the shower's warm steam, but was surprised to find it just as cold as when he had left.

"Bakura-kun?" Yugi asked. "You aren't taking a cold shower, are you?"

"I don't want to use up your hot water... I don't want to be a burden..." the other boy responded submissively, almost inaudibly above the splashing.

Yugi sighed. "Bakura-kun, you're not a burden. You're my guest. You can use hot water."

Bakura shook his head, although Yugi couldn't see him doing so. "Cold water makes me feel awake... alive..." he whispered. "No, it's fine," he added, louder, so that Yugi could hear him.

"Well...if you insist..."

In reality, Bakura was cringing horribly against the sting of the freezing water. But the cold against his arm washed away the pain and blood. It was cleansing. He struggled to not let his thoughts sink back into the familiar patterns of self-hatred. _No angsting while Yugi's around. _He rubbed the tender spot with his washcloth, clenching his teeth against the pain as the cloth brushed the sensitive wound. Then, for reasons even he couldn't fathom, he began to talk, fast, almost incoherently. Confiding in the other boy...

"I just...I felt..." He struggled to arrange his rapidly flowing thoughts into a sentence. "I won't do it again...I promise...but after you made me promise, I felt... embarrassed, dirty even, for having done it the first time. But it was because... he did... and I wanted a reminder of him...to prove to myself that I...I don't even know what I was trying to prove..."

"It's okay, Bakura-kun," Yugi responded, attempting to reassure the other boy. "It's okay..." His words seemed so empty. He cursed mentally, wishing there was no social restraint against him stepping into the shower and taking the other boy in his arms, physically comforting him.. _But where are these thoughts COMING from? _

Bakura shivered violently as he rubbed soap into his hands and washcloth and scrubbed his body. He ached to ease the pain brought by the cold, but he was afraid that he might fall asleep if he took a hot shower. He was still extremely tired from his recent insomnia. The cold water _did_ help wake him.

Bakura sighed. It wasn't okay, and it would probably not be anytime soon. Because, there was another facet to his recent anxiety and depression that he had not told anyone. And although being with Yugi helped ease that other emptiness, it amplified this one. He leaned against the slippery tile, trying to clear his spinning mind.

He _liked _Yugi. It was something that had been true for months, yet he had been afraid to admit it to anyone. Almost as soon as he had transferred to Domino High, even, he had been attracted to the other boy. _Here I am, naked, with Yugi right on the other side of that curtain. Why did I want him in here, anyway? _He couldn't really answer that question. Did he hope that Yugi would make advances on him? There was no way that would happen, anyway – Yugi would be too worried about interfering with their friendship. Friendship was central to the other boy's beliefs, yet as far as Bakura knew, he had never been involved in a romantic relationship. And Bakura doubted he was willing to start his romantic life with another boy, especially so soon after being rejected by Anzu. No, the whole thing was wrong. It would never work. But still... he still hoped...

"Hey, Bakura-kun," called Yugi, breaking the boy's silent contemplation. "D'you ever sing in the shower?"

"Sometimes," Bakura admitted, embarrassed.

"Sing something. I want to hear you."

"Yugi-kuuun!" cried Bakura, embarrassed. "I'm not very good..."

"Please? Just a bit?"

"Well... Okay...What do you want me to sing?"

"Whatever you want. Pick something special."

Bakura hummed quietly, trying to find a note to start on. Then, quietly, he began to sing, gathering strength as he continued. His voice was very high for a male, and could have been mistaken for a girl's, if Yugi hadn't known it belonged to Bakura. Yugi recognized the song – he had heard it coming from a Dance Dance Revolution machine during his frequent trips to the arcade.

"The last that ever she saw him, carried away by a moonlight shadow, shadow...He passed on worried and warning, carried away by a moonlit shadow, shadow... Lost in a riddle that Saturday night, far away on the other side, he was caught in the middle of a desperate fight, and she couldn't find how to push through...The trees that whisper in the evening, carried away by a moonlight shadow, shadow..." At this point, Bakura's voice shrank slightly, as if he was unable to remember part of the song. It gained strength again after a few moments, however.

"All she saw was the silhouette of a gun, far away on the other side... he was shot six times by a man on the run, and she couldn't find how to push through..." Bakura suddenly stopped singing, and his voice quavered, but then he began again. "I stay, I stay, I pray, see you in heaven, one day... Four AM in the morning, carried away in a moonlight shadow... Watch your vision blurring, carried away by a moonlight shadow, shadow.."

"Bakura-kun? You okay? That sounded great!" Yugi enthused. "Much better than I could sing," he added bashfully.

"I'm fine, Yugi-kun... I hear that song a lot. I don't actually play DDR myself, but my favorite game is right near the DDR machine. The end...has some special meaning to me."

"I gathered that... do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." His statement was quickly followed by the sound of the water shutting off. "Er..Yugi-kun..."

"I'll leave again--"

"No, it's not that," Bakura interrupted. "I... just realized. I don't have any...underwear...here." By the way his voice trembled, Yugi was sure he was blushing furiously. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before!"

"Um..." Yugi glanced to the side, his own face flushing. For some reason, his mind seemed to enjoy straying to the thought of Bakura without underwear. "I'd let you borrow some of mine, but I think it's too small...Umm...the sweats are loose, I guess you can just go without it."

"Well...okay," Bakura responded, still sounding a bit uneasy. "You don't have to leave if you don't want to... you can just turn away or something..."

"N-No, I don't think that's a good idea. I'd better go." Yugi turned and hurried out of the room, closing the door and leaning against it. He breathed hard, trying to stabilize his thoughts. Why was he feeling like this? Spending time with Bakura that afternoon had been a revelation of sorts. He finally realized that he didn't have to mope over Anzu – that _Bakura _could possibly fill the void that had possessed him since his dark half's departure. 

Still... Bakura was _male_, and while there were rumors concerning his sexuality, Yugi wasn't sure what to believe. He certainly didn't _seem _to be interested in the hordes of fangirls that trailed him around at school. Still, that didn't necessarily mean that he was homosexual, or, even if he was, that he would want to pursue a relationship with Yugi. Sighing, the spiky-haired boy attempted to avoid sinking into another barrage of self-doubt. He still believed nobody would be interested in _him _now that the Pharaoh was gone, but dwelling on that fact would only harm him. And he realized this. Still, even though spending time with Bakura had improved his mood, he wasn't feeling completely better. Even though he was genuinely concerned about Bakura's well-being, pretending to be cheerful around the other boy was stressing him out.

He nearly fell to the ground as the door abruptly swung open. Bakura stood there, fidgeting awkwardly in Yugi's sweats, which fit him much better than they did Yugi.

"Thank you, Yugi-kun," he said quietly. "I feel somewhat better now."

"That's good," Yugi responded with a smile. "How about we go to my room and find a game to play? I've got plenty."

"Okay," Bakura responded, trailing Yugi as the two boys made their way down the hall. When they entered Yugi's room, the smaller boy instantly ran to his desk and threw open a drawer. He pulled out several game boards, then a plastic puzzle with sliding tiles. "This thing has been driving me crazy," he muttered. "I've been working on it for ages." He tossed it to Bakura, who reflexively caught it. "Let's see..." he murmured, examining another game. "I could teach you this...though it's better with three players..."

Bakura fiddled with the plastic puzzle, secretly smiling. Yugi was so cute – when he was talking about games, his mood seemed to instantly improve. "Whatever you want," he said, but then added, "Do you have any plain playing cards?"

"Sure. Just because Grandpa's shop has all the newest games doesn't mean I don't like old ones just as much," Yugi said, smiling. He rummaged through the drawer, finally pulling out a deck of normal playing cards. "Here we go. There are a ton of games we can play with these."

Bakura agreed cheerfully. He settled to the floor, looking much more comfortable than usual in the gray sweats.

"So, what games do you like?" Yugi asked as he joined Bakura, shuffling the cards with expert skill. "I know a lot..."

"Well, there's one game I like, but I'm not sure what it's called," Bakura offered, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"That's okay! How do you play?"

"Well, the rules are simple. I'm not so good at it, though..."

"It's okay. I'm sure you'll do fine," Yugi smiled.

"Like I said, it's easy. You divide the cards into two piles, one for each of us." Yugi began to deal the cards, again with the speed of an experienced player.

"The goal is to get all the cards... you each turn a card over one at a time, and put them in the middle. If two of the same number appear, you slap the pile, and whoever slaps it first gets to keep all the cards in the pile."

"Sounds easy enough," Yugi nodded, smiling. 

"Okay, so.. I'll start," Bakura began, timidly. He turned over a three, slowly. Yugi flipped his top card over much faster – a queen. Bakura turned over a five, and Yugi followed with a nine. Bakura hesitantly turned over another card – another nine. Yugi slapped the stack before Bakura even moved.

"Argh! Yugi-kuuun!"

"Come on, Bakura-kun, you can't play like that! You're being way too timid. Why do you like this game if you're too shy to even be fast?"

Bakura blushed and looked down. "I don't know..."

"Don't feel bad," replied Yugi. "Here, since I picked up the pile last, you start next."

Four. Jack. Six. Seven. King. King.

This time Bakura moved faster than Yugi, and slapped the stack. He giggled, in his effeminate way, and collected the cards together. 

"See, that's how you have to do it," Yugi laughed. He went next.

Two. Eight. Queen. Three. Ace. Ace.

Yugi was faster, this time, but Bakura was right behind him. Yugi's hand landed on top of the cards, but Bakura's hand landed on Yugi's – and stayed there. He looked at Yugi strangely, almost pleadingly, but the other boy was prevented from responding by a sudden knock on the door. Bakura jerked his hand away as if he had been burned.

"Hey, boys, are you hungry? I have dinner downstairs," Yugi's grandfather's voice came through the door.

"Do you want to eat?" Yugi asked, trying to break the awkward moment.

"Y-yeah, I guess so, though I'm still kind of full from the burger."

"It's okay, we don't have to eat a lot. I'd rather not have to talk to Grandpa a lot, anyway – I'd rather spend time with you." Yugi smiled broadly at the white-haired boy, whose ears turned red in response. "Coming, Grandpa!" he shouted, then stood up and ran a hand through his spiked hair. 

Bakura pulled himself to his feet and glanced down at his sweats. "Is it okay to come to dinner in this?"

"Of course," Yugi responded absently. "Grandpa's pretty casual."

"I've given up trying to control my hair," Bakura laughed, as Yugi continued to smooth his. "It sticks out no matter how much I brush it. This is its natural color, and I like it long, though people often make fun of me for it. And that one teacher tried to make me cut it."

"My hair spikes like this naturally. I mean, just look at Grandpa's, it's similar... just gray." 

This prompted a slight giggle from Bakura. "Well, I bet he wasn't gray when he was your age. Unlike me."

"Aw, I like your hair," Yugi responded. "It's cute. It makes you look unique."

"....Cute?" Bakura squeaked, his ears turning even redder.

"Well, unless you'd rather not be called cute," Yugi chuckled, which caused Bakura to blush deeper in hopeless confusion. He hurried after Yugi, who had already opened the door and was heading for the dining room.

"I bought some cream puffs for you, Bakura, since I know you like them," Yugi's grandfather commented as the boys joined him.

The white-haired boy smiled slightly. "Thank you..." he murmured. He noticed that Yugi's grandfather still seemed uneasy around him, remembering the earlier encounter with his darker half. Unless it was just his imagination...

~

After dinner, the boys again retreated to Yugi's room. Yugi produced a game board, and although he began explaining the rules enthusiastically – and the game did sound interesting – Bakura was unable to stifle a large yawn. 

"You're tired, aren't you?" Yugi asked, a bit rhetorically. "I bet you didn't sleep well last night...It's early for a Friday night, but maybe we should just get to bed."

Bakura nodded. "I didn't know I'd be staying, so I didn't bring anything, but these sweats are comfortable enough to sleep in."

Yugi responded by reaching under his pillow and retrieving his blue pajamas dotted with yellow stars. "Just.. turn around for a moment while I change into these."

Bakura reddened yet again, and turned. However, realizing he could still see Yugi's reflection in the mirror mounted on his wall, he closed his eyes tightly, not wanting to embarrass the other boy. 

"Okay," Yugi said, and Bakura turned around. "You're so _cute _in those!" squealed Bakura, unable to stop himself. Then, he clapped a hand over his mouth, as if he'd slipped up and said something he shouldn't have.

"I just realized... I only have one bed," Yugi muttered. "And there isn't really anywhere else we could sleep..."

"I'll sleep on the floor," Bakura immediately offered. "I don't want to be any trouble..."

"No way!" Yugi responded forcefully. "What kind of host would I be if I made my guest sleep on the floor? You take the bed. I don't mind sleeping on the floor – I've camped plenty of times, and that's much worse."

"No! I don't want you to..." Bakura insisted. Yugi sighed.

"Fine," he conceded. "There's room for both of us, I guess." 

"O-Okay!" Bakura nodded, his blush deepening. 

"I'll just go tell Grandpa we're going to bed and not to disturb us..." Yugi responded. "You can get into bed, I'll be right there," he added, motioning to the bed.

A bit hesitantly Bakura climbed onto the bed and burrowed under the covers. He took his normal position, curling up with his back against the wall. 

Yugi returned in a few moments, switched the light off, and joined the silver-haired boy. Despite Bakura's efforts to make himself take up the least amount of space possible, the bed, designed for one person, was too small to accommodate both of them with ample room. Bakura and Yugi faced each other, each intensely aware of the closeness of their bodies and the warmth emanating from both of them. 

They stared at each other's forms through the darkness, barely able to discern the outline of each other's faces. Both had planned to sleep, but that starting to appear more difficult than they had previously thought. The silence and darkness of the room caused every sound, including their breathing, to be greatly amplified. Bakura found himself victim to a myriad of impulses he had never felt before: desire to move his hands over Yugi's body, feel every crevice...perhaps taste, as well, and trace his curves with his tongue... 

Bakura attributed these urges to his sudden happiness at finding another warm presence in bed beside him, instead of his own cold solitude. There was no point in denying it to himself: he had been attracted to Yugi ever since they had first met. The boy was full of admirable qualities, though he tended to deny them in himself; he was gentle, selfless, and just the kind of person that seemed increasingly rare in today's society. Plus, he was just cute.

"Yugi-kun..." Bakura murmured quietly, shifting in the bed.

"What?" Yugi responded, softly, gently.

"You like games... your life is about games..." Bakura started, quietly.

Yugi nodded, smiling in the darkness.

"But..." Bakura's tone was sad. "You get a game, you play it, and then you're done with it... with video games, once you finish, it gets shoved into a corner and never looked at again. Sometimes, you'll play them again if they're really good, but...not always...and, with games like Duel Monsters... you play them for awhile but after you get tired of them you stop playing them..."  He sniffled quietly. "You wouldn't... get tired of me, would you? Like a game, just to be played when you're bored..."

It was dark, and Yugi didn't know any other way to comfort Bakura in the darkness than by reaching out a hand to his chest. The other boy inhaled sharply at this, and Yugi felt his heartbeat increase greatly.

"Of course not, Bakura-kun," Yugi responded soothingly. "Anzu and the others... they drifted away from me. I would never leave a friend."

Bakura made a choking sound. "But I don't... that's not...not what I...Oh, never mind." He rolled over to face the wall, leaving Yugi's hand to fall limply against the sheets.

"Bakura-kun? Did I say something wrong?" Yugi's concerned voice caused Bakura to curl up further, clutching his knees to his chest.

"No!" he cried. "You... nothing you say is wrong..." Bakura sighed. "I'm the one who's wrong...what I say is wrong...what I feel is wrong..."

"No, Bakura-kun, don't start that," Yugi responded softly. "Your feelings aren't wrong. What do you feel? You can tell me."

"I can't!" Bakura insisted, quietly but firmly. "You'll hate me..."

"I won't hate you," Yugi answered, still speaking gently.

Bakura rolled back over, staring at Yugi through the darkness.

"I'm..." He trailed off, closing his eyes. "Never mind."

"You're...?" Yugi queried, trying to get Bakura to finish his statement.

"I'm going crazy lying here next to you and hearing you talk about me as your _friend_, that's all! I want...Nothing, I want nothing."

Yugi just blinked. "Crazy...how?" he managed to stammer out.

"I...I can't take this!" Bakura cried, his voice escalating to nearly a shriek. 

"Shh," Yugi hissed, clapping a hand over Bakura's mouth. "I don't mean to cut you off, but you're getting a bit loud. I don't want Grandpa to hear and come in...he'd probably freak out if he saw us in bed together. I told him I was going to sleep on the floor."

Despite the darkness, Yugi could tell that Bakura was blushing – the temperature of his face skyrocketed. When Yugi lifted his hand again, Bakura immediately began stammering. "But...but we're not..."

"I bet you wish we were, eh?" Yugi laughed.

"W-What? I...N-no, of course I don't..."

"Oh," Yugi responded, sounding almost disappointed. "Then maybe I interpreted what you said before wrong. Anyway, what were you saying?"

"I just..." Bakura stopped, sighing, then forced himself to continue. "I miss...him, and now...well, it started before now, but...I'm getting my hopes up about something that's never going to work out!"

At this point, Yugi had a pretty good idea he knew what Bakura was talking about, but he wanted the other boy to reveal his intentions himself. "What?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"I...I...Why is this so hard? I...I _like _you, Yugi. There. I said it." He pounded the bed in frustration. "I said it. But I don't feel better. Now I just feel stupid."

"No, Bakura." Yugi's voice was firm. "Don't feel stupid. Maybe we should discuss this tomorrow...I know you didn't sleep much last night, and a good night's rest would make you feel a lot better. We can discuss this when we're both rested."

"It won't seem the same tomorrow," Bakura murmured. "The things we say at night can't always be said during the day..."

"Do we always need words?" Yugi replied softly. He proceeded to slide an arm under Bakura's, rubbing the boy's back. "It's okay, you can sleep... you don't need to be alone like you usually are. I'm here."

"Yugi-kun!" Bakura gasped, shocked. "What are you...?"

"Don't worry," Yugi responded gently. "You just relax...We'll talk tomorrow. Don't worry about it."

"Yugi-kun..." Bakura murmured softly. He nuzzled against the smaller boy's chest, happily reveling in his warmth and closeness.

"Sleep well, Bakura-kun," Yugi whispered softly. He stroked the other boy's back until he felt Bakura's breathing become regular and relaxed. Then, knowing Bakura was safe on his way to a warm, peaceful slumber, Yugi also allowed himself to drift off.


End file.
